This morning, in a post to NY Baseball Digest, Mike Silva looks in to who the Mets might try to sign, in the event they want a left-handed specialist in their bullpen, such as free-agents Joe Beimel, Will Ohman, Ron Mahay, Dennys Reyes and Tim Byrdak.

“The Mets have used all their remaining 40 man roster spots,” Silva points out. “I doubt any of the aforementioned relievers will accept a minor league deal, at least not right now, so they will have to remove someone to make room.”

In response to a similar question for ESPN yesterday, Adam Rubin responded:

“Who will work for $600,000? Answer that and you may be able to identify who the Mets sign.”

In other words, add the 40-man roster issue to Rubin’s response, and it reads like the Mets might only be considering relief pitchers willing to sign minor-league contracts, which I have no problem with. I am not shy in my approach to the bullpen, which is to rarely lock a set bullpen in to a roster. It’s foolish. There is little evidence that it ever works out, and, at least in my experience watching the Mets, it only causes problems. I’d rather have a series of players, from journeymen on minor-league deals to minor leaguers, who can compete in Spring Training and keep the squad fluid throughout the year, like the Padres always do so well, and like the Rockies did so effectivly in 2008.

Remember, as Rubin points out, the Mets will also have left-handed relievers Mike O’Connor and Eric Niesen in camp, plus (gulp) Oliver Perez and Chris Capuano.